The Residence Zanzibar

We staying in a garden villa, all inclusive package, 2 adults and 1 child (8yrs old). the room was well set up for the 3 of us! beautiful room with gorgeous outdoor area and lovely clean pool that we all very much enjoyed! The grounds were huge and we used bikes to get to and from the main building where there was the main pool and the restaurant and bar. We were all inclusive which was great as very little not included in this, mini bar also stocked daily with whatever we wanted! when i say though that then staff made this trip, that is not an understatement! from checkin & out at reception with Mercy, Marco and Johanes, it was seamless! very kind, professional and helpful! the restaurant staff were amazing! morning and lunch we had Farida who not only was a friendly face but became our swahili teacher, we had a real passion for the language and learnt so much in 5 days! Farida really made this trip extra special! Mary, Justina and Helen were also fabulous at breakfast/lunch! Dinner was a different theme every night, but saturday is a real treat as dinner is on the beach with a show! was beautiful! special thanks also to Nico and Asia for taking good care of us each evening! Lastly, we did the safari blue excursion and just wow!! snorkeling was 10/10 …i highly recommend! thanks so much to everyone at this hotel, our trip was spectacular and we hope to come back soon :)

This is our fifth stay at the hotel. The lodge is beautiful and the staff are very friendly. However, I am giving one star because the management does not pay enough attention to safety issues, especially regarding their transfer supplier. We always travel with our child. In previous stays, a child seat was not provided at all, even though a 5-star resort should automatically arrange a proper child seat for guest safety during airport transfers — especially considering that the drive from the airport is about 1.5 hours each way. This time, we requested a child seat in advance and even called to remind them. When we arrived, the car did have a seat inside, but it was not installed. The driver didn’t know how to secure it and asked us how to do it. The seat itself was very poor quality, and the car did not have proper anchor points, so it was impossible to install. When we arrived on 14 November, I reported this issue to the front desk. They promised to talk to the supplier and fix it. Later, the customer care manager called during our stay to ask if everything was fine. I said yes, except for the transfer and baby seat problem. A few days before departure, I contacted reception again, reminded them about the baby seat, and we discussed it once more. But on 22 November, the car arrived with the same unsafe seat, and again the car had no anchor points to install it. The seat was moving about 50 cm in all directions, which makes it completely unsafe. In an accident, this seat would even cause more harm to the child instead of protecting them. I have lived in Tanzania for 11 years and see road accidents almost weekly. Considering this, I am surprised that the management continues to ignore such a serious safety issue with their transfer vehicles. I understand that lodges in Zanzibar are not allowed to operate their own transfers due to government regulations. However, if you choose a supplier, you are responsible for making sure that the drivers meet The Residence’s standards — including verifying that the supplier has proper public-liability insurance, checking the drivers’ training level, ensuring they have the required safety equipment (child seats, first-aid kits, etc.), and monitoring how their vehicles are maintained. That is how responsible businesses operate. While I truly like The Residence property and its staff, I advise families travelling with children to reconsider this property until the management properly addresses these safety concerns.

great team, superb location

just a greta place

My wife and I completed our honeymoon stay in Zanzibar in The Residence. Great hotel in which we really enjoyed our Prestige ocean front villa. The room was massive, we had our own private pool (as most villas do here) which overlooked the sea (not all villas have this luxury). The space was expansive and very comfortable. The AC worked amazingly Located near Kizimkazi, it is close enough to attractions like Salaam Cave, Paje and Jozani Forest. The food options in the restaurant were okay, not as exciting as in previous stays in Zanzibar. The service of the staff felt slightly less than optimal compared to the stays in other resorts, not sure why. Some staff members were extra nice to us and we would look to seek them out during breakfast service or otherwise. The facilities at the resort are in need of some maintenance and refurbishment - such as the games room and TVs in the villa - it did not surprise me that the resort was initially opened over a decade ago as the technologies were more outdated than other places. We experienced multiple power outages here compared to our stays in other hotels in Zanzibar too - although the outages were always for a short amount of time

Accommodatie is geweldig. Het personeel attent maar vaak heel veel personeel en niemand aanwezig bij de pool

Staff is niet aanwezig. Genoeg personeel maar niemand bij the pool. Lege glazen en je moet zelf de handdoeken halen ondanks het feit dat er ‘minimaal 5 personeel is

This is our fifth stay at the hotel. The lodge is beautiful and the staff are very friendly. However, I am giving one star because the management does not pay enough attention to safety issues, especially regarding their transfer supplier. We always travel with our child. In previous stays, a child seat was not provided at all, even though a 5-star resort should automatically arrange a proper child seat for guest safety during airport transfers — especially considering that the drive from the airport is about 1.5 hours each way. This time, we requested a child seat in advance and even called to remind them. When we arrived, the car did have a child seat inside, but it was not installed. The driver didn’t know how to secure it and asked us how to do it. The seat itself was very poor quality, and the car did not have proper anchor points, so it was impossible to install safely. When we arrived on 14 November, I reported this issue to the front desk. They promised to talk to the supplier and fix it. Later, the customer care manager called during our stay to ask if everything was fine. I said yes, except for the transfer and baby seat problem. A few days before departure, I contacted reception again, reminded them about the baby seat, and we discussed it once more. But today, 22 November, the car arrived with the same unsafe seat, and again the car had no anchor points to install it. The seat was moving about 50 cm in all directions, which makes it completely unsafe. In an accident, this seat would even cause more harm to the child instead of protecting them. I have lived in Tanzania for 11 years and see road accidents almost weekly. Considering this, I am surprised that the management continues to ignore such a serious safety issue with their transfer vehicles. I understand that lodges in Zanzibar are not allowed to operate their own transfers due to government regulations. However, if you choose a supplier, you are responsible for making sure that the drivers meet The Residence’s standards — including verifying that the supplier has proper public-liability insurance, checking the drivers’ training level, GPS control for speed limits, ensuring they have the required safety equipment (child seats, first-aid kits, etc.), and monitoring how their vehicles are maintained. That is how responsible businesses operate. While I truly like The Residence property and its staff, I advise families travelling with children to reconsider this property until the management properly addresses these safety concerns.

🌴✨ Wonderful Birthday Stay at The Residence Zanzibar ✨🌴 • 🧘‍♂️ Amazing 3 yoga sessions with Lukman— best ever! Highly professional teacher. Hopefully now I can open a new chapter in yoga for rest of my days 🤞🏿 Thanks a million Lukman

Money stolen from purse. Yes should have been in safe but shouldn’t happen. Second report on this site this year. Manager very professional.

Not that bad except for theft

Money stolen from room. Yes should have been in safe but shouldn’t happen in 5-star hotel. Manager very professional but faced with guest reporting theft and maid denying it. See trip advisor for another example.

From the moment we arrived until the day we left, everything was pure enjoyment. It started with an upgrade to a 2-bedroom villa, which meant our son had his own room with a private bathroom. The villa is huge, the bathroom very spacious and equipped with everything you could need. You can relax all day on your terrace with a private pool. The breakfast isn’t extensive, but everything is freshly prepared, and the chef will make special dishes upon request. The service is excellent — everyone is genuinely friendly and does their very best to make your stay as pleasant as possible. At one point, my dress had torn, and when I mentioned this, I was directed to the in-house tailor, who repaired it the very same day — free of charge! The service truly goes the extra mile; nothing is too much for them. Every morning and afternoon we enjoyed walking through the beautifully landscaped park, filled with stunning flowers, plants, and various animals you encounter along the way. So peaceful and relaxing. November is still low season, so at times it felt as if we had the place to ourselves: no crowds at the pool, no crowds in the restaurant — perfect! Don’t expect white sandy beaches here; for that, you need to go to the north of the island. But The Residence is definitely a place I would recommend if you love lush gardens and tranquility. A special thanks to chef Satish, Farida from the service team, the housekeeping staff and the gardeners - the local unsung heroes who keep the resort's gardens a little piece of heaven! Asante Sana ❤️